© Jorge das Neves

© Jorge das Neves

© Jorge das Neves

© Jorge das Neves

Carlos Bunga

Decolonising Thought, 2013-2021

Corrugated cardboard, canvas, Angolan sculptures from the Science Museum of the University of Coimbra

Courtesy of the artist

Mother, 2002–2022
Digital video, color, sound, loop and site-specific installation
Courtesy of the artist

Carlos Bunga (b. 1976 Porto) attended the Escola Superior de Arte e Design in Caldas da Rainha, in Portugal. He currently lives and works near Barcelona.

Bunga uses mass-produced materials such as cardboard, adhesive tape and household paint to produce site-specific, process-oriented installations. Emerging from a dialogue with the existing architectural space, these ephemeral structures recall life-size architectural models as well as temporary street shelters. Through his work, Bunga not only encourages viewers to rethink their experience of space and architecture, but also evokes the transient and fragile nature of urban structures.

His work has been featured in group exhibitions at the Artists Space, New York (2005); New Museum, New York (2007); Warsaw Museum of Modern Art (2009); the National Museum of Art, Cardiff (2014) and the Guggenheim Bilbao (2016).

Bunga participated in “Manifesta 5” in San Sebastián (2004); “inSite_05”at the San Diego Museum of Art (2005); “14th Carrara International Sculpture Biennial” (2010); “29th Biennial de São Paulo” (2010); “Artes Mundi 6” in Cardiff (2013); Chicago Architecture Biennial (2015) and VI Gherdënia Biennial (2020).

Bunga has had solo exhibitions at several museums, including Pérez Art Museum Miami (2009); Pinacoteca do Estado de São Paulo (2010); Hammer Museum, Los Angeles (2011); Museo Serralves, Porto (2012); Museo Universitario de Arte Contemporáneo, Mexico City (2013); Museo Amparo, Puebla (2014); Haus Konstruktiv Museum, Zurich (2015); Museu d’Art Contemporani de Barcelona (2015); MOCA, Detroit (2018); MAAT, Lisbon (2019); MOCA Toronto (2020); Whitechapel, London (2020); Secession, Wien (2021).

Bunga’s current  exhibition in 2022, take place at Schrin Kunsthalle Frankfurt and Palacio de Cristal in Madrid, among others.